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4 January 1955
Syracuse Herald Journal- Schayes, Seymour On East All-Stars Syracusans Honored The East and west squads for the fifth annual National Basketball League All-Star game to be played at Madison Square Garden on Jan. 18 were named today with two rookies, Frank Selvy and Bob Pettit, making the West squad. The two Milwaukee Hawks first-year stars and George Yardley of Fort Wayne were the only newcomers to the squads, and all of them were picked for the West team. Picked by sports writers were three unanimous choices, Selvy for the West squad and Bob Cousy and Dolph Schayes of Syracuse for the East team. The complete squads: EAST- Forwards: Schayes, Paul Arizin, Philadelphia, and Harry Gallatin and Carl Braun, both of New York. Centers: Neil Johnston, Philadelphia and Ed Macauley, Boston; Guards: Cousy, Paul Seymour, Syracuse, Bill Sharman, Boston and Dick McGuire, New York. WEST- Forwards: Vern Mikkelsen and Jim Pollard, both of Minneapolis; Pettit and Yardley; Centers: Larry Foust, Fort Wayne and Arnie Risen, Rochester; Guards: Selvy, Bobby Wanzer, Rochester, Andy Phillip, Fort Wayne and Slater Martin, Minneapolis. ---- Schayes On Third Rung In Scoring Ed Macauley of the Boston Celtics, took the lead in the National Basketball Association scoring race today by a single point over Celtic teammate Bob Cousy. It was the second time in his six-year pro career that Macauley had led the league and the first time was a year ago. However, Macauley has been a steady enough scorer, finishing third twice, fourth twice, and fifth once. Macauley had a total of 609 points to 608 for Cousy. Only five points out of the lead at 603 was Adolph Schayes of Syracuse. Rookie Frank Selvy of Milwaukee ranked fourth with 592 and Bill Sharman of Boston took fifth with 550, giving the Celtics three of the top five positions. On a basis of points per game, however, Selvy was leading the league with a 21.1 average. Paul Arizin of Philadelphia was second with 20.7 and defending champion Neil Johnston, also of the warriors, was third with 20.6. Macauley and Cousy were tied for fourth with 20.3. Macauley moved into the overall scoring lead by tallying 94 points during four games of the last week while Cousy was held to 52. Johnston was the week’s highest scorer with 109 points in five games to move from 11th to seventh. ----- From Highlighting Sports By Jack Slattery Tomorrow night the board of directors of the Syracuse Nats will vote to accept or reject the resignation of General Manager Leo Ferris. Yesterday, I lunched with Leo for the purpose of getting his views first hand. His very first sentence aptly described the situation. “It is an unusual situation,” said Leo. “Usually when a manager, coach or general manager of a club quits a team it is because the club is losing. Here we have a first place ball team and, too, it’s very best ball team we’ve ever had in Syracuse. And on the weekend we played two ball games and grossed about $12,000. Odd background for a setup such as we’ll have tomorrow night.” Leo’s chief criticism of the board of directors, with whom he has been feuding (and he stressed that it was only a few members, not a majority), was that they were super critical in areas where they were not on familiar ground. “It’s the same as though I were to tell you how to write a column, or tell a doctor how to perform an operation,” he said. “After all, I’m the general manager and have been for a long time. The growth of the Nats from play in the Arena to the Coliseum to the War Memorial and up to the point where we now play before millions on the television screen certainly reflects progress.” ----- Best Product Ever Had To Sell “Actually, I do not want to go. But I won’t stay here and be subject to constant criticism from fellows who don’t know my job as well as I do. In the Nats we have the best product to sell we’ve ever had. It is 10 times the ball team we had in the Coliseum when we were packing them in. I think it is the duty of the board of directors to get out and sell the game to new fans. I want the shareholders, and have from the time the 149 of them brought into the Nats, to take a more active part in the organization. The suggestion has been shouted down with protests that Republic Steel and General Motors don’t operate that way. I protest that there’s no comparison and that the only real problem we have is to get new faces to see the call club. Just look at what we have to sell. Milwaukee is the lowliest club in the league. It’s victories are very few. Yet whom do they have on the club? Frank Selvy and Bob Pettit, two of the hottest stars in the game, and I believe Pettit has to be rookie of the year. We actually can’t bring a bad attraction into the War Memorial. The Hawks, as the last place team in the league, could play the best college team in the nation and run them into the ground. And I repeat-the club officials have one job and it’s not being done-sell the club to new fans.” “It’s a new game and so much better than anything we’ve ever seen before that it should be introduced to new faces. But instead of selling we’ve wasted hours upon hours bickering in directors’ meetings about details for which I am being paid a salary to iron out. When an organization hires a general manager, it does so to have him manage. Certainly, it is a waste of money if his every move is to be criticized and second guessed. It’s my job to get ball players and run the organization. It’s Al Cervi’s job to coach the team. A look at the standings would bear out the fact that both jobs are being done satisfactorily. As I said before, I want to stay here and I’d like more active participation of the 149 shareholders. Some of them have expressed a desire to know more about the present differences and would like them aired before a meeting of the entire group. That’s well for me.” Ferris indicated that he would stay in Syracuse and work with various promotional activities should his resignation be accepted tomorrow night. ----- Osterkorn Back Soon A rehash of Sunday’s game with the Hawks brought up the subject of Red Rocha and the wonderful job he did of hog-tieing the rookie sensation, Frank Selvy. Said Ferris: “The guy’s murder. I know some basketball players who get sick when they see Rocha walk out on the court before the game starts.” The victory for the Hawks made Red Auerbach look like a rather good prognosticator. Saturday before the Nats-Celtics game Red said his club wears the opposition down with its fast-breaking and speedy style of play. He said that win or lose Saturday night the effect of the game would be reflected in Sunday’s play against the Hawks. He certainly hit 1.000 with that speculation. Though there is nothing official from the Nats’ office, it seems the arrival of Duquesne star Jim Tucker can’t take some required courses for graduation in summer school and he will have to remain in school throughout the spring semester. It’s expected that Wally Osterkorn will be able to resume practice in about two weeks and be the Nats’ 10th man. Scant hope is held out that Billy Gabor will be able to play this season and the Nats will have to play without the fiery Bullet. Category:1954-55 Category:Nationals Category:January 4 Category:Cervi Category:Ferris Category:Gabor Category:Osterkorn Category:Rocha Category:Schayes Category:Selvy Category:Seymour Category:Yardley Category:Tucker